Lily and the Octopus

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley is an extraordinary book that delves deep into the emotional bond between humans and their canine companions. With exquisite storytelling, Rowley captures the essence of the unconditional love dogs provide us in our lives, making this novel a heartfelt and deeply touching experience.The story revolves around Ted and his beloved dachshund, Lily. Ted’s connection with Lily is one of profound companionship and unwavering loyalty. Through their adventures and everyday moments, Rowley beautifully portrays the depth of the bond between humans and their furry bebe’s.What sets Lily and the Octopus apart is the author’s unique depiction of Lily’s illness, personifying it as an octopus. This symbolic portrayal brings to life the internal battles we face when our loved ones, including our pets, are afflicted with illness. As Ted confronts Lily’s health crisis, the octopus becomes a powerful metaphor for the emotional struggles that arise in such circumstances.Rowley’s writing evokes a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, as readers witness the resilience and love shared between Ted and Lily. The narrative explores themes of loss, grief, and the lengths we go to protect and care for those we cherish. It reminds us of the extraordinary capacity of dogs to provide solace, joy, and unconditional love, even in the darkest of times.Lily and the Octopus is a testament to the healing power of the human-animal bond. It captures the essence of how dogs can become integral parts of our lives, offering us unwavering support, companionship, and love. Through Ted’s journey, we learn that dogs not only understand our emotions but also have an uncanny ability to provide comfort and unconditional acceptance.As you turn the pages of this poignant novel, be prepared to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Whether you’re a dog lover or not, Lily and the Octopus will touch your heart, leaving you with a renewed appreciation for the emotional connection we share with our canine bebe’s. Rowley’s beautifully crafted story will remind you of the immense power of love, both given and received, and the profound impact our furry bebe’s have on our lives.

I just loved this story and how beautifully it was told. My dog is wondering why he’s been getting so much attention this week. I! WISH! I! COULD! EXPLAIN! HOW! MUCH! HE! MEANS! TO! ME! Definitely reminded me of Life of Pi. A really enjoyable read.

Steven Rowley does an incredible job of painting the picture of what it is like to live with and love a dachshund. The joys and the frustrations are depicted perfectly. The sorrow of loss is heartbreakingly true. This is the best book that has ever completely destroyed me.

If you've lost a dog, you'll like this book. If you haven't you might feel a bit lost following the emotions of the protagonist.The first half of the book reads like a fever dream mystery. You're not quite sure what to take seriously but it's clear the protagonist is disconnected from reality. It's a struggle to read since there are few compelling characters or conflicts to resolve.The second half of the novel is a more thoughtful examination of grief, depression, and loss. It's still delivered with an overdramatic flair, but I ended the book with a sense of satisfaction.A unique, but tough read.

A little over a year ago, I lost my sweet dog to cancer. Roxie was only 5 years when she passed away, having been diagnosed at age 4. That's way too young to lose a special member of your family. I still grieve for her and miss her every day. She was adopted at one year of age, so she was really only in my life for four short years. During those years, though, she wormed her way into my home and heart. She acted as my protector the few couple of years and then, in turn, I acted as her protector for the last couple, watching her grow weaker and weaker, but still striving to be the strong dog she always was. So when I heard about LILY AND THE OCTOPUS, I had to pick it up. Lily was the author's pup of 12 years; the Octopus was the cancerous tumor that grew on her head.If you've ever had a sick dog -- heck, if you've ever been lucky enough to have been loved by a dog -- this book is for you. WARNING: this book will make you cry. It may not make you sob uncontrollably like it did for me, but it should create some semblance of "eye rain" (the author's terminology), unless you have a heart like the Grinch's. Reading the author's heartache was cathartic and made me remember Roxie fondly. I knew exactly what he was going through.The book is semi-autobiographical, but it's a work of fiction, nonetheless. It's told from the narrator's point of view (a gay man), who also happens to have conversations with his dog, Lily, and then the Octopus as well. It sounds a bit strange, but it really works. In fact, when I read the dialogue, I felt like I could hear Lily's sometimes super excited/sometimes mellow voice, and the Octopus' snide, callous voice."Dogs have pure souls... Dogs are always good and full of selfless love. They are undiluted vessels of joy who never, ever deserve anything bad that happens to them. Especially you. Since the day I met you, you have done nothing but make my life better in every possible way." This was the author's response to Lily in response to her inquiry if Karma was reason she had the octopus. Again, eye rain.The book was very well-written and provided a quick read from chapter to chapter. Besides a tribute to a fantastic dog, the book is also about aging, the aging of our loved ones and ourselves, and coming to terms with both. "I see a younger version of myself at each and it's all I can do not to wave; I wonder what my younger selves would think of me now, if they would recognize me or even care to wave back." That's a very powerful observation and felt so true.I emphatically loved this book like Lily loved her red ball, and I hope you will, too.

This book is a pleasure to read.....clever, humourous, & engaging. Wish it was longer - will miss enjoying it !

I stopped reading after page 8 (end of the first chapter).In the space of only 8 pages, there were about 20 names of people casually mentioned (American movie or pop stars ?) which one was onviously expected to know - but I do not know them.This is for a different sort of people ...

After reading The Guncle, I needed to keep reading more from this Writer! :)

this is something worth it

You laugh and cry to this witty awesome weird story about true love and overcoming grief. I read it within a few days it was so good